Aug 21, 20 the sound of things falling by juan gabriel vasquez takes readers on a journey through colombia starting in the late 60s but its not your average detective story. The informers juan gabriel vasquez, anne mclean on. Antonios fascination with the life of expilot ricardo laverde begins by casual acquaintance in a seedy bogota billiard hall and grows until the day ricardo receives a cassette tape in an unmarked envelope. The novel is beautifully written and its theme of betrayal and its lingering effects is intricate and wonderfully executed. The plot centers on colombia during and just after world war ii, as germans both jews and nazis arrived and sought refuge. Juan gabriel vasquez new novel, the sound of things falling, is a sophisticated vision of the way the colombian drug trade unravels lives. When gabriel santoro publishes his first book, a biography of a jewish family friend who fled germany for colombia short. Shortlisted for the 2019 man booker international prize a sweeping tale of conspiracy theories, assassinations, and twisted obsessions the much anticipated masterpiece from juan gabriel vasquez. Vasquez uses a classical dramatic arc to portray the apotheosis and tragic fall of the protagonist, mallarino, a legendary. Nick caistor on juan gabriel vasquezs the informers, a tale of wartime betrayal and intrigue in colombia. Novelists in britain may feel the weight of earlier generations on their shoulders, influencing. He studied latin american literature at the sorbonne between 1996 and 1998, and now lives in barcelona. Juan gabriel vasquezs latest novel, reputations, plays with the notion of the making and breaking of reputation, compressed into the span of a continuous threeday period.
His stories have appeared in anthologies in germany, france, spain, and colombia, and he has translated works by e. It is the first work of juan gabriel vasquez, a 35yearold colombian, to be translated into english. A conversation with juan gabriel vasquez david rockefeller. Juan gabriel vasquezs masterful first novel, the informers, published five years ago in spanish and now available in a lyric translation by anne mclean. The informers by juan gabriel vasquez overdrive rakuten. Apr 27, 2016 juan gabriel vasquez is now widely considered to be colombias greatest living writer, a recognition held by gabriel garcia marquez for a half century until his death in 2014. Gabriel santoro is a young journalist who has just published his first book an account of the life of family friend sara, whose family, jewish refugees from nazis germany, settled in colombia, a. Author juan gabriel vasquez discovers colombia through his. During a weekly seminar on the art of the novel he will show how this form of expression has shaped our moral views, political system and society. The informers by juan gabriel vasquez matthew shaer.
Jun 20, 2016 an interview with awardwinning novelist juan gabriel vasquez. The past is a shadowbound, elusive creature in colombian writer juan gabriel. Juan gabriel vasquez author of the sound of things falling. In the spring term 2017 juan gabriel vasquez will be friedrich durrenmatt guest professor for. Columbia is seen by some as a country of uneasy alliances. The informers, by juan gabriel vasquez trans anne mclean. When gabriel santoro publishes his first book, a biography of a jewish family. Each character in this thoughtful, complex novel truly believes the details of certain events transpired in. Vasquez, juan gabriel vazquez, vasquez juan gabriel, juan gabriel vasquez, juan gabriel vasquez, juan gabriel v.
The informers by juan gabriel vasquez peeling the layers of an onion and finding out who betrayed who, back when european jews were refugees in south america in columbia. The informers by juan gabriel vasquez, anne mclean. Stories at the 2015 library of congress national book festival in washington, d. His books have been published in seventeen languages worldwide. The informers narrator, gabriel santoro, seeks to confront his father, an esteemed professor and. Juan gabriel vasquez s books include the sound of things falling, which won the alfaguara novel prize in spain and an english pen award, and the secret history of costaguana, which won the qwerty prize in barcelona. Herunterladen fur kostenlose the shape of the ruins. The informers kindle edition by vasquez, juan gabriel, anne mclean. Cataloguing the life of longtime family friend sara guterman, a jewish german immigrant who escaped to colombia during the 1930s, gabriels book seemed an.
Regarded as one of the most important latin american novelists working today, he is the. He wrote the informers, a very well known and well received novel, and his new book is the sounds of things falling. In juan gabriel vasquez intricate the informers, the. The informers ebook written by juan gabriel vasquez.
From the author of the sound of things falling, a brilliant new novel. The informers and the sound of things falling by juan gabriel vasquez. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Juan gabriel vazquezs the informers presents history as something others have said to be true.
Between 1941 and 1945, the colombian government, under pressure from american leaders, interned and economically blacklisted. An interview with awardwinning novelist juan gabriel vasquez. More directly addressing the topic is the informers, the first novel of colombian author juan gabriel vasquez translated into english. The career of juan gabriel vasquez, a colombian writer born in 1973, is off to a notable start with his ambitious first novel. One of the many reasons for reading literature in translation is the window it can provide onto experiences other than our own, sometimes experiences we never knew existed. In 1988, journalist gabriel santoro published a life in exile, the story of a jewish refugee who fled to colombia in the years preceding the war. No sooner does he get to know ricardo laverde than disaffected young colombian lawyer antonio yammara realises that his new friend has a secret, or rather several secrets. Oct 11, 2012 the informers by colombian author juan gabriel vasquez is a fascinating book which poses a lot of questions. The informers by juan gabriel vasquez the guardian. This acclaimed book by juan gabriel vasquez is available at in several formats for your ereader. Educated in colombia and in paris at the sorbonne, he now teaches in barcelona, where he lives with his wife and twin daughters. Juan gabriel vasquez is a colombian writer, journalist and translator.
In juan gabriel vasquezs novel, a political cartoonist. Ebook juan gabriel vasquez 2 libro electronico descargar. A rum with the name dictador and the politically charged novels of juan gabriel vasquez could be another. Jul 01, 2004 juan gabriel vasquezs the informers annoyed me at times. Shortlisted for the independent foreign fiction prize. Each character in this thoughtful, complex novel truly believes the details of certain events transpired in the way he or she chooses to remember. The informers juan gabriel vasquez, author, anne mclean, translator, trans. To read the informers is to enjoy the shock of new talent. This initiates a father son dispute, with a friend trying to act as mediator.
The best lines in the secret history of costaguana were written by joseph conrad. Forster and victor hugo, amongst others, into spanish. A son writes a book about informers, and does not realize that his father was one of them. In an essay about writing the informers, the author, juan gabriel vasquez, says, i wanted to find out about the way the war was experienced in colombia. Juan gabriel vasquezs the informers sounds and colours. The shape of the ruins is a masterly story of conspiracy, political obsession, and literary. Our phone number is a little different today because of our new technologies here. Dec 04, 2015 juan gabriel vasquez and nprs bilal qureshi discuss lovers on all saints day. In the informers 2004 the reader learns about immigrants during the nazi era, in the secret. Book description a virtuosic novel about family, history, memory, and betrayal from the brightest new latin american literary talent working today.
Juan gabriel vasquez is one of the leading novelists of his generation, and the sound of things falling that tackles what became of colombia in the time of pablo escobar is his best book to date. Juan gabriel vasquez s previous books include the international impac dublin literary award winner and national bestseller the sound of things falling, as well as the awardwinning reputations, the informers, the secret history of costaguana, and the story collection lovers on all saints day. Regarded as one of the most important latin american novelists working today, he is the author of seven novels, two volumes of stories and two books of literary essays, as well as hundreds of pages of political commentary. His books include the 2014 international impac dublin award winner and national bestseller, the sound of things falling, as well as the awardwinning the informers and the secret history of costaguana. The informers by colombian author juan gabriel vasquez is a fascinating book which poses a lot of questions. Additional gift options are available when buying one ebook at a time. The informers fares best when he allows his protagonist to stay in the moment, to build scenes instead of imagining wide swaths of the past. The informers by juan gabriel vasquez james reads books. He is the author of four previous novels, the informers, the secret history of costaguana, the sound of things falling and reputations, as well as the story collection the all saints day lovers.
Juan gabriel vasquez has been hailed as one of the leading writers of his generation, compared to borges, john le carre, joseph conrad and w. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the informers. Sep 23, 20 im steve roberts sitting in today for diane. The informers ebook by juan gabriel vasquez rakuten kobo.
Sep 26, 2016 one of the many reasons for reading literature in translation is the window it can provide onto experiences other than our own, sometimes experiences we never knew existed. Oct 09, 2016 reputations by juan gabriel vasquez tanslated by anne mclean 190 pp. The saddest thing that can happen to a person is to find out their memories are lies. Gabriel wrote the book, he tells us, to give some perspective on the struggles of such emigrants. About the author juan gabriel vasquez was born in bogota, colombia, in january 1973. Like everyone to touch a pen in this country, vasquez has always existed in the shadow of the 20th century titan known as gabo. The informers by juan gabriel vasquez, paperback barnes. Read the informers by juan gabriel vasquez available from rakuten kobo. The informers is inspired by a woman of germanjewish origin vasquez met in late 1999 who emigrated to colombia with her family as a teenager in 1938. Juan gabriel vasquez born in bogota on january 1, 1973 is a colombian writer, journalist and translator. It sagged in the middle, but is beautifully written and engaging enough to continue on. The informers by juan gabriel vasquez provides a window on life among german nationals living in columbia during the second world war.
Together with his family, juan gabriel vasquez will spend the spring term 2017 in switzerland to lecture as friedrich durrenmatt guest professor at the university of bern. Translated from the spanish by anne mclean by vasquez, juan gabriel, mclean, anne isbn. Juan gabriel vasquez s first novel explores colombias fluctuating attitude to the nazis during world war ii, and its sometimes traumatic results. The informers kindle edition by vasquez, juan gabriel.